Oprah Winfrey’s live show about "dating violence" and Chris Brown’s alleged beating of Rihanna was one of those TV moments when Oprah becomes a nationwide town meeting, in which Winfrey uses her extraordinary outreach and influence on America to try and shed light and counsel on a cultural issue. Dedicating the hour to "all the Rihannas in the world, and all the young men who would think of hitting a woman," Winfrey didn’t shy away from arguing with young members of the audience who expressed sympathy for the male violence of which Brown is accused.
After a report from Entertainment Tonight correspondent Kevin Frazier that Rihanna and Brown are recording a duet and may write a book together about domestic violence, Winfrey told one teen her take on the Rihanna-Brown situation: "If you go back to a man who hit you, you don’t think you’re worthy of being with a man who won’t."
At Winfrey’s side was Tyra Banks, who’d given over her own talk show to the same topic earlier in the day, and repeated a sentiment she used there: "There’s no excuse for a man to put his hands on a woman, ever, ever, ever." She also talked about a relationship she’d been in, in which she felt herself a victim of "emotional abuse." Banks intruded too often into the interviews Winfrey conducted, it seemed to me, but she did make a valuable point when one teen expressed disappointment that Rihanna apparently hasn’t abandonded Brown and therefore wasn’t a "role model." Banks reminded the audience that Rihanna is "a girl… an entertainer," not a role model, and shouldn’t have to bear this added pressure.
Winfrey’s presentation was most interesting when interviewing teens in pre-taped moments and live via remote locations such as Boise, Idaho, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Declaring her show a "huge, teachable moment" for America, Winfrey also interviewed a pregnant young woman, Britney, whose boyfriend, the father of her child, was in jail for attacking her. This interview was at once electrifying and queasy-making.
The hour skipped around a lot, with Winfrey showing a clip from a 1993 show she did about a girl whose boyfriend killed her, and then brought the mother of that girl onstage to talk with Britney and her parents. This seemed a stretch, since this woman, not identified as any sort of professional and speaking as she put it, based on "what little I know about this situation," couldn’t offer much in the way of useful advice. As always, Winfrey was sincere, careful with her facts, and offered a lot of websites and phone numbers for viewers in similarly troubled or dangerous situations to contact. She concluded by calling out, "God bless, Rihanna, Chris!"
Did you watch? Do you think Oprah is a useful forum for the discussion of these issues?
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If someone hits/attacks me, man or woman, I will defend myself. Just an FYI, Tyra.
why is rihanna getting back.rihanna may get beat up again and then she might died after that.so it is very important to stay away from the bad ness.okay rihanna.i will pray that u will feel right.so if u need help u should asked the lord and the lord would see u thought.so i am hoping u r having a baby and i will pray that baby okay.so talk to u later and tell chris that it is not good to put ur
I am so tired of the very careful and measured way everyone who speaks of this story expresses that Chris Brown needs our love and concern. Yeah he needs help but for many young girls their idea may be he went to therpay for a couple of weeks so now he is “fixed.”
the show would have been much better if Tyra wasnt on the show she talk alot but nothing seems to come out worthwhile shes too judgemental. Thats one of the reasons why I stopped watching her show
I watched some of the show today and truthfully from what i saw i was a little disappointed. I thought that it would have been more useful to have a open panel rather then just interviews via skyp; those that could have been videotyped prior to the show. also i found that i was hearing a lot more of tyra banks opinion ( not to say that her opinion is not validate) on the matter rather then the people involved in these situations. overall a very important topic presented decently but not what it could have been
MY MAN CHRIS BROWN BEAT UP RIHANNA BECAUSE SHE WAS MESSIN WIT HIM AND HE COULDNT TAKE IT NO MORE SO HE BEAT HER BUTT.
I just watched this and realized how serious these kind of situations really are. It breaks my heart that men out there are beating and even killing innocent girls caught up in a relationship with them. I was amazed that 1 in 3 girls are in an abusive relationship. It shocks and upsets me that out of all my friends I have, one or two could be in that kind of relationship. Chris Brown might have beaten Rihanna, and he will never be forgiven, but he has a heart that might even hurt for doing those things. I’m not saying everything should be reconciled, but I just would want people to keep that in mind for any reason.
If Oprah truly wants to fight against violence & abuse toward especially helpless women (and not just make a publicity stunt) she needs to go after the appalling treatment of women under Islam worldwide, and how, in fact, Islamic doctrine gives Muslim men complete control over their women.
to the post below: think about if that was your mother, sister.
There’s a difference between protecting yourself and attaching someone. You can protect yourself by walking away or calling the police for help… you don’t have to ATTACK the person “in defense” as Chris did.
If Rihanna hit Chris, then she was wrong for doing that. It doesn’t matter who you are (male, female, celebrity, etc) you have no right to put your hands on another person.
FYI…If Chris had any visible signs of being attached (as Rihanna did) we KNOW those pictures would be released by now! But no, some of the first pictures out of Chris were him having fun in Miami, on a jet ski.
When I saw the clip of a verbally incoherent Brown, I forgot about sympathy for Rihanna and only wondered what she ever saw in him and why she was ever involved with him to begin with.
i cannot believe how many young people justify Chris Brown’s behavior! Ryanna face was beaten to a pulp, Chris didnt have a scratch. That says it all. There can be no excuse for that.Ps: yes, way too much Tyra Banks!
In college I had huge aspirations to become a role model. I dropped my performing arts major (I was a talented singer with a great body) and re-enrolled in the role models major. There I met other people who were studying to become role models. They were all a role model for me to achieve my goal of becoming a role model. Once I had my degree I went out into the world of role modeling. NYC can be tough for an up and coming role model but once I got a few gigs I was off to Milan for Role model week!
When men are abused for many years, they have no where to turn to because the law does not recognize that men can be victims. There are also no men shelters for abused men to go to. She abused him for a long time and he could not take the abuse anymore so he lashed out. Girls need to learn to take responsibility for their actions instead of always using the vicitm card. In domestic violence, men are abused in the majority of the cases and the girls use weapons. CHRIS, if she abused you before, she will do it again! Leave her for someone who is not abusive. Feminism is a sickness that promotes hatred against men.
Why everybody still talking about christ and rihanna this is the first time a man hit a woman? why they can’t still stay together? we can’t make choice for rihanna if she still love his man why all those commentaries? because she is a star if that was happening to somebody esle like a sample person everybody would say forget it, anyway love is not something for everybody talk about it it is between me and you Christ and Rihanna is not our business america said it trust in GOD and we try to create more divisions between people? The BIBLE said everybody has to forgive I’m sure that each of you has something to be done why don’t you make a turn to yourself? The BIBLE said before you see the little crash on my eyes, clean the big one you got on yours. I love Christ and Rihanna so much I will pray GOD for you guys Rihanna let your heart talk don’t listen to anybody we are not perfect we all can make mistakes. GOD BLESS YOU GUYS.
I had a friend who used to swear by this technique. It’s true, nice guys finish last. So don’t blame Rhianna, it’s evolutionary!
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Islamic law and the Koran permit men to beat their wives if they disobey.
Oprah is just an opportunist who only goes after the subjects that put her in the best light possible. Help Rihanna? Please – looks like Oprah was just helping herself to more publicity. Looks like she should change her production company name from Harpo to Hypo — as in Hypocrite.
I hate to admit it but the fact that Chris bite Rhianna turns me so on. I hope it’s in the video for their duet.
The book will be wonderful! Chris is such a loving soul, wise beyond his years. Y’all hating for nothing!!!! This beating was a small bump in the road. My mother always told me it wasn’t a big deal to get a few slaps. Actually she felt it made her a better person, centered her. So there!!!!
Who the hell does Oprah and Tyra think they are! They know nothing about Rihanna’s life before or after these alledged incidents occured with Chris Brown. Rihanna was physically abused but I think it down right disrespectful to portray Rihanna as weak. Obviously they are working through their issues and they should not have to deal with public criticisms by the likes of Tyra Banks, who of course has suffered much abuse from her own relationships. Give me a break! If I was Rihanna I would have a broadcast and give those b****es a piece of my mind.
wow, did anybody read the police reports they have out ? or hear on the new’s that she went out of control slapping him, and hittin him, & it isint the first time she’s done it, they had witnesse’s to previous times where rihanna has hit and punched him so if anything not only should he be in anger management treatment so should SHE. she’s not the victim, she’s an instiqator. noBody should lay hands on anyBody, male or women plain and simple.
If Rhianna dies than they both win. She’ll get that money Chris promised when he said he wouldn’t hit her again and they could easily sell the movie rights for 2 million. Like a Jo Lo Selena movie. It’d be awesome if Zac Efron were in it!
Also, you guys don’t know this but Stedman used to kick the snot out of Oprah. Gail would get some in too. I worked as a waiter in a gay nightclub and I saw it happen on more than one occassion.
I do not think she is any role model. Would you want your daughter to dress like a slut? Would you want your dauighter to be beat up by a thug? I say, if she goes back, let her. SHe’ll be dead in a year.
What a surprise that Tyra talked about how SHE was “abused” and “intruded too often into the interviews Winfrey conducted”! LOL
Hey Brownie! Your career’s done, you’ll always be known as the less talented guy who beat up his talented girlfriend. Get used to it ya dirty hood rat!
All of Pro-Chris responses are WACKED-OUT. You should all be beaten in the face till you spit up blood. Only then will you understand. If he beat another man, it would wrong, but this is serious and he should be in jail. What does this have to do with Oprah? Hope she encourages other women to fight back, speak out, or at least not to be a victim of some cruel immature pig.
Rhianna is a bad role model for all the women out there who want to be role models for battered women. Battered fish is better than battered women.